Pasifika Medical Association Celebrates Two Years Of Impact With The New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group marks two years of delivering the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS), a programme funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), providing life-saving medical care and strengthening Pacific health systems.

Since receiving the NZMTS contract in December 2022, PMA has worked in Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, with local health ministries and counterparts to provide life-saving medical care and specialist support, while also investing in local health workforce development. The NZMTS, which has operated for over 30 years, continues to be a cornerstone of Pacific health, offering critical medical interventions that many communities would otherwise be unable to access.

In 2024 alone, NZMTS supported 4,133 Pacific citizens, including 14% from remote outer islands, and trained 638 Pacific health professionals with the support of local health ministries and partners.

“We see the NZMTS as more than just a medical programme. It’s about giving Pacific families hope,” said Debbie Sorensen ONZM, CEO of PMA. “For many, this scheme has meant a second chance at life, whether through critical surgeries, specialist care, or training local health workers to provide better care at home.”

Key highlights 2024:

• 53 Pacific patients were treated under the Overseas Referral Treatment component.
• 48 visiting medical team trips, resulting in 2,002 consultations, and support for 4,034 people.
• Strengthened Rheumatic Heart Disease screenings in Tuvalu and Kiribati.
• Pacemaker insertion services launched in Samoa and Vanuatu.
• Nurse training investment increased from 27 in 2023 to 89 in 2024.
• Uto Bulabula – Healthy Hearts Initiative enabled 15 Pacific children to receive life-saving cardiac surgery in Fiji.

The programme’s Strengthening Country Capacity component also trained 267 Pacific health professionals through local and overseas programmes.

“Moments like seeing 15 children receive life-saving heart surgery through the Uto Bulabula – Healthy Hearts Initiative remind us why this work matters,” Sorensen added. “It’s about breaking down barriers so that no Pacific child is denied care simply because of where they were born.”

“It has been an honour to witness the countless lives touched by NZMTS. We have fostered meaningful partnerships, delivered innovative solutions, and paved new pathways for our Pacific communities."

PMA remains committed to improving Pacific health outcomes in partnership with Pacific countries in building resilient healthcare systems for future generations.

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